Conflict of Interest?
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A News 12 Connecticut Reporter has landed a second job working for the local Mayor in his communications department.
Wait! A Reporter is also working for the Mayor's office?
Can you say conflict of interest?
News 12's Dalmarys Matos is also working for Mayor Joe Ganim’s to help with the city’s social media feeds and some press releases.
“(News 12 viewers) associate me with fluffy stuff,” Matos said of her role reporting traffic each morning.
In an interview with Hearst Connecticut Media, Matos insisted that she merely reads the traffic reports.
However, on her LinkedIn profile, Matos lists her job title as “Traffic Reporter.” She describes her job as follows on LinkedIn:
“Produced and presented on-camera traffic reporters for morning news show with a smooth delivery and logically ordered presentation, Gathered (sic) traffic incident information and created informative and visually interesting stories, Ensured that all content met News 12 Network standards for journalistic integrity and production quality, Offered traffic information across all platforms in a way that connects with viewers.”
Rich Hanley, an associate professor of journalism at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, says that as described on her LinkedIn profile, Matos’ role creates problems for News 12.
“She clearly identifies herself as a reporter,” Hanley said. “Once you put the word ‘content’ — that’s gathering information — you have to make editorial decisions at every step of the process: Who to talk to, who not to talk to. It would bring a conflict at every turn in the news-gathering process.”
Matos, who earns $25 per hour in her new job with the city, said she previously helped write copy for the evening news when she started working for News 12 in 2014.
Her LinkedIn profile contradicts her portrayal to Hearst Connecticut Media that she provides News 12 viewers with “fluffy stuff.”
It lists “associate producer” as a current role, including “the development and production of local television news by writing and formatting scripts.”
News 12 staff did not respond to multiple requests for comment on Matos’ role there, the station’s conflict of interest policy and its view of her duties with the mayor’s office.
H/T CT Post
